SEARCA News

QUEZON CITY, Philippines – SEARCA facilitated the First Philippine National Consultative Meeting for the ASEAN Network on Promoting Climate Resilience of Rice and Other Crops on 17 February 2014 at the Department of Agriculture - Bureau of Agricultural Research (DA-BAR). The consultative meeting brought together representatives from DA with DA-BAR as the representative of the Philippines in the ASEAN Technical Working Group in Agriculture and Research Development (ATWGARD). Other participants who attended this activity included representatives from the DA-Corn Program, National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), Philippine Statistics Authority-Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (PSA-BAS), Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), Philippine Center… Read more

In a learning and development meeting on “Engaging Intergovernmental and Regional Platforms for Building Resilience” held in Iloilo City on 10 February 2014, Christian Aid International explored possible collaboration and complementation with the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) and other relevant regional initiatives… Read more

ANTIPOLO, Philippines – SEARCA, in association with ERGONS Project Marketing Consultants, conducted a two-day training course on Geospatial Applications and Analysis for Climate Resiliency, Mitigation and Adaptation Planning for Upper Marikina River Basin Protected Landscape (UMRBPL) on 10-11 February 2014 in Antipolo City, Rizal. The training was attended by more than 25 key technical personnel from the participating LGUs of Antipolo City, Baras, Rodriguez, San Mateo, and Tanay, all in the province of Rizal. The training aimed to increase the knowledge and understanding, as well as develop technical skills of the participants in the application of geospatial technology in the… Read more

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia.– Policy roundtable participants from Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, and Vietnam agreed to review and build on a proposed regional project of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) of Cambodia titled Fostering cooperation to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change on agriculture and fisheries sectors to maintain food security and eco-tourism in CLMV. The project was endorsed during the 35th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Agriculture and Forestry (AMAF) on 26 September 2013 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia… Read more

MANILA, Philippines -- SEARCA, in collaboration with the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA), introduced new publications about biotech crops in the Philippines during the Social and Economic Dimensions of Biotech Crop Adoption: Book Launch and Media Conference held on 6 February 2014 at Dusit Thani Hotel, Makati City… Read more

The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture recently conducted the final validation of the implementation and field testing of two SEARCA Re-Entry projects. SEARCA alumnus Engineer Andie M. Tuates of the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization of the Department of Agriculture (DA-PHILMECH) partnered with a private co-operator in Binmaley, Pangasinan to implement the project entitled, “Utilization of Biomass Furnace By-products as Fuel Briquettes: Establishment of the Potential of Carbonized Biomass-Based Materials for Fuel Briquettes.” The project aims to determine the potential of using carbonized materials derived from biomass furnace as raw materials for… Read more

MANILA, Philippines – SEARCA, in association with the ERGONS Project Marketing Consultants (EPMC), presented to the Climate Change Commission (CCC) the findings of the bio-physical impact and vulnerability assessments (VA) on the Upper Marikina River Basin Protected Landscape (UMRBPL) on 4 February 2014. The study is a component of the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-funded technical assistance entitled, Climate Resilience and Green Growth in the UMRBPL: Demonstrating the Eco-town Framework. The project covers five local government units (LGUs) in the province of Rizal, namely: Antipolo City, Baras, Rodriguez, San Mateo, and Tanay… Read more

BULACAN, Philippines - SEARCA organized and facilitated the second batch of the training course on Common Service Facility (CSF) Business Enterprise Operation and Management on 29–30 January 2014 at the Malolos Resort Club Royale, Bulacan, Philippines. The activity is part of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR)-funded project entitled, Agrarian Reform Community Connectivity and Economic Support Services (ARCCESS)… Read more

SEARCA, the Asia Pacific Adaptation Network (APAN), and the General Directorate of Agriculture of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) of Cambodia will jointly organize the Tenth Policy Roundtable on Building Capacities for Agricultural Competitiveness of Transition Countries in Southeast Asia with the theme Mainstreaming Climate Change Adaptation in the Agriculture Sector towards Food Security in Southeast Asia in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on 6-7 February 2014… Read more

PATTAYA, Thailand – The ASEAN Technical Working Group on Agriculture and Research Development (ATWGARD) tackles the Promotion of Climate Resilience in Rice and Other Crops in its Special Meeting on 21–22 January 2014 at the Nong Nooch Garden and Resort in Pattaya, Thailand. This project was proposed by Thailand and adopted by ATWGARD. The project aims to advance the ASEAN Integrated Food Security (AIFS) and the ASEAN Multi-Sectoral Framework on Climate Change: Agriculture and Forestry towards Food Security (AFCC)… Read more